The Commission Files – Details, episodes & analysis

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      Music, chat and laughter in this special Christmas episode where Kerry and Will meet Marie Lacey, founder and director of Belfast Community Gospel Choir.  She describes the choir as a way of helping people from all walks of life sing truths about Jesus Christ as they come into contact with his Word. But she's also their leader, and confidante.  She's "Mama Lacey".

*All music in this episode is Copyright Marie Lacey and used with permission.

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      The Christian author and speaker, Lyndall Bywater, joins Kerry and Will to talk about her life and work.  She explains how she's never let her blindness interfere with any aspect of her life.  Known for uniting prayer groups across the UK and Ireland, she shares her passion for prayer, and the reasons she thinks so many of us feel guilty that we don't pray enough, or are simply no good at it.  And she confides why so many people bend down and give street directions to a puzzled black labrador dog called Venus!

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     In a triumph of diary matching, Kerry and Will meet David Montgomery, known as "Monty" to his friends and associates. He works as the Regional Director for IFES Europe.  IFES is the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students.   In other words, Monty and his staff support all the CUs or Christian Unions at universities and colleges across the continent of Europe.  We also hear a little about his new book The Unfinished Story.  

A disturbingly fervent Man City supporter, Monty lives on the shores of Strangford Lough  but spends roughly half his time travelling and meeting many of Europe's future church leaders - did they but know it. 

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     Cost of Living Part 2.

Kerry Greig and Will Leitch dig deeper into the issues surrounding the cost of living crisis, and the response of Christians to it.  Who is "standing in the gap"?   Last time they heard from three groups that are really making a difference.  This time they're thinking about the plans, strategies and partnerships Christian churches are pursuing or could pursue with government and wider society.

Danielle McElhinney of Evangelical Alliance and Rev Brian Anderson of East Belfast Mission help Kerry and Will think about the realities of "standing in the gap".

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     In this special extra edition of The Commission Files, Will Leitch meets Alan McBride. Alan appeared on many news outlets in Autumn 2023 as people marked the 30th anniversary of the Shankill Bombing which killed ten people.  He's well-known in Northern Ireland for his work with the Wave Trauma Centre, as a peacebuilder and a voice for people affected by "The Troubles".

In that bombing, Alan lost his young wife Sharon.  He tells Will his story.  How, as a young Christian man, a father and widower, he went through every emotion imaginable.  Grief, anger, and despair.  Curiosity, resolve, love and hope.

Take a listen now, for Alan says the season for giving interviews is over.  This is his story, one last time.


*A shorter version of this interview first appeared on the podcast "Inspired to Act" from Thrive Ireland.  Special thanks to Thrive's Director Diane Holt for allowing us to play this interview in full. 

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      Cost of Living Part 1.

"It could be you.."  That's a phrase Will Leitch and Kerry Greig heard over and over again as they researched and recorded this edition of The Commission Files, focussing on the cost of living crisis.  Many people are struggling to make ends meet for themselves and their families.  Most never imagined it could happen to them.

Will and Kerry hear from three groups trying to make a difference,  Christians Against Poverty,  St Vincent de Paul, and The Trussell Trust.  For them, there's a "holy discontent" with the way things are.

Listen to the stories they tell, and you'll also get a little pre-Christmas audio treat! 

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     Kerry Greig and Will Leitch welcome two new guests to Studio 2 at Commission to hear  how Christians work in so-called "restricted countries' - where traditional Christian outreach models simply aren't possible.

"Matt" from Business as Mission makes a serious point with some Christmas cookies.  And David Middleton from Sat-7 talks about satellite tv broadcasting to a potential audience of around half a billion people across the Middle East and North Africa.

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     In this first episode of "The Commission Files", Will Leitch and Kerry Greig introduce you to David Moore.  He serves as a Presbyterian minister.  He's also the first minister  for decades  the Presbyterian Church in Ireland has sent to work specifically in West Belfast.  "It's an area", says David, "we've neglected for far too long..." You'll hear how, on his arrival, he was told by his new community that Presbyterians were "so much a part of us".

You'll also learn a little bit about Commission Christian Radio, the producers of this podcast, and how they dramatise the Bible.

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     In a time of weariness and cynicism about politics - locally and nationally - can Christians afford not to get involved?  In a special episode, Kerry and Will welcome three guests with a lot of insight on politics and their faith, including one who has been there, done the work, and taken the flak.

Listen to Former Stormont Minister Nichola Mallon, Danielle McElhinney of Evangelical Alliance NI and the Rev Dr Norman Hamilton of Contemporary Christianity .

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      Light and hope in great darkness.  Kerry and Will welcome Ben McMechan, the Northern Ireland lead for IJM, International Justice Mission.  In partnership with organisations and authorities across the world, they tackle slavery, violence and exploitation, case by case.  Ben encourages us not to shy away from thinking about such things, but to talk about them, and expose them. 

Ben knows that IJM don't fly-in claiming to be superheroes saving the day.  But motivated by their Christian faith, they make a difference to anyone they can help.

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